Hanging On, Letting Go: A Fairy Tale
by Social Safari
Summary: What doesn't kill you… makes you agonize endlessly and torture yourself mentally. A Fairy Tale in Four Short Acts.
1. Chapter 1

"And then he said, 'My brain is the computer, and that makes my mouth a printer, and I print A LOT!'" chortles Tamaki Suoh, relating another anecdote from one of his kids at school.

"If there was ever a case of the pot calling the kettle black, that's it," dryly observes Haruhi. She smiles affectionately at her husband's wounded expression, "Of course, Ouran couldn't have picked a better person to be deputy dean than you."

Renge Houshakuji smiles too, finally relaxing since arriving from Paris earlier in the day. She's happy to be back in Tokyo with her two friends. The couple's easy banter reminds her why she loves them so much. How silly of her to stay away for so long.

When she received Ouran Academy's reunion notice several months ago, her first instinct was to toss it in the trash. Then Haruhi invited her to stay for the weekend, and Renge chided herself for being ridiculous. Of course she wanted to go to the reunion! Of course she wanted to see her all of her friends! Just because _he_ was there was no reason to avoid a whole country. Especially when the chances of them running into each other was zilch.

Though the years haven't diminished Renge's high energy or otaku tendencies, they now have a constructive outlet into a highly driven career as the creative head and co-founder of an internationally acclaimed animation studio. She is a force to be reckoned. Nothing can derail her.

Not even a bitter disappointment with love.

Renge knows today she is stronger, better than ever. She gingerly tests that formerly raw place in her heart. She really has moved on – or so goes the pep talk she gives herself. Shaking off that maudlin train of thought, she turns her attention back to her friends.

Haruhi is on a charity case she's excited about. Tamaki relishes his role at Ouran while simultaneously pursuing his Doctorate in Education. Renge shares news about the film she's producing with American partners, sure to be a blockbuster like her last one. They talk about old times, eventually catching up on mutual friends, Hunny, Mori, even Umehito.

But the elephant in the room… He's Tamaki's best friend and she won't even bring up his name. It's not worth mentioning, she tells herself. He means nothing to me.

"How are you doing Renge," asks Tamaki. "Are you happy?" he questions with a violet-eyed intensity that makes her uncomfortable. She tries not to squirm.

"Yes, I'm doing great!" she exclaims, perhaps a bit too brightly.

"Are you dating? Seeing someone special?"

Annoyed, Renge feels like snapping at him. Luckily, Haruhi does it for her. "Geez Tamaki, let her breathe a little. She just got here."

With a grateful look at her best girlfriend, she takes a second to get her emotions under control. "No, no it's fine. I've been dating… uh, a lot! No one seriously, but it's good being out there again. I've been great!" she insists.

Tamaki looks visibly relieved. "Oh good. Because I thought you should know…" he pauses, searching for a delicate way to tell her.

"Kyoya is getting married."


	2. Chapter 2

Moments later, Renge leans wearily against the door inside the Suoh's guest suite. Hearing Tamaki's announcement nearly shattered her shaky resolve. She immediately excused herself, pleading jetlag and needing to nap before the reunion that evening. She cannot stop her brain from racing.

During high school, she was the manager for the Ouran High School Host Club. Once she discovered the "Natural Type" was a girl, the crush evolved into actual friendship. Three years ago, Haruhi asked her to be maid of honor and Tamaki asked Kyoya Ootori to be his best man. They were all thrown together planning the various society parties necessary for a family as high profile as the Suohs, especially since the bride had no experience (or interest) in such matters.

That's how the two main wedding attendants fell into an easy friendship, finally putting aside their differences from adolescence. Kyoya tacitly forgave her "Uki-Doki Memorial!"-fueled infatuation with him. True to form, Renge barreled past his cool, calculated formality. Soon, they were hanging out together in their free time.

In spite of the intense obligations to his family's businesses, she noticed Kyoya took care of his friends without drawing attention to himself. Like how Haruhi immediately found new clients just out of law school. Or when Tamaki's grandmother suddenly granted permission for the Ouran school board to hire him. Or how their friends gained mysterious, silent investors during the start-ups of their various companies.

As for Renge, Kyoya showed a sensitive side he seldom revealed to others. Tenderly supportive of her outrageous ideas and patient with her mercurial moods, he was the calm to her storm. Before either of them knew it, they were in love. Or at least, that's how Renge felt.

Just as in high school, Kyoya was as ambitious as ever. His father gave him the pharmaceutical company to run, a show of confidence to be sure, but he never lost his laser focus. He worked long hours and nights. Between his schedule and hers, there were some weeks when they barely saw each other. They discussed marriage. Kyoya said it was something he wanted and he suggested they live together.

Thrilled, Renge agreed. She saw it as a way to spend less time apart and a step closer to spending the rest of her life with the man she loved. But after two years of dating, Kyoya was no closer to commitment. She gave him an ultimatum.

"Stop being childish," he admonished coldly. "Now isn't the time."

"That's the problem, Kyoya. There is no 'right' time," she countered sadly. "We've been together long enough for you to know whether I'm the one for you or not. Waiting won't change anything."

Renge followed through and moved out. Not only did she move out, she moved back to France. Publicly, she announced her company's strategic partnership with a French artist enclave to develop her first film. But privately, she sobbed to Haruhi, broken hearted. It was a bitter pill to realize the love was one-sided. Like her teenaged self, she had built Kyoya in her mind to be someone he most definitely wasn't.

Back in the present, Renge finally pushes off the door and searches for her bedroom. Returning to Japan brings to the surface all the emotions she's suppressed for so long. The Suoh's beautifully appointed sitting room and its gorgeous penthouse views don't even distract her. Once she finds the plush bed, she flings herself on it, exhausted. Despite her brave front with Tamaki, she knows she is still affected by a man who would never truly open his heart to her. She allows herself a few sobs before falling into the delirious, fitful sleep of the overtaxed and overtired.

xxx

Later that night, she surprises herself by having a great time at the Ouran reunion. The Hitachiin twins are still mischievous, though Kaoru has calmed down somewhat with his engagement to Mei. Kasanoda turned his family away from crime, now merged with the Haninozuka and Morinozuka companies providing full security services.

Walking back from the bar with a fresh drink in hand, Renge is content, cheerfully observing the scene as she approaches her friends on the dance floor. It's quite a sight, but Tamaki is literally spinning his wife around and for once, Haruhi actually looks like she's having fun. The twins gleefully snap pictures of the rare event from the sidelines, nudging each other like adolescents. Then Mei asks her about what fashions are trending in Paris these days...

Catching up with everyone and being reminded of her own past shenanigans, along with a drink or two (ok, three) gives her a happy buzz. The laughter-soaked evening allows Renge to revel in something other than her broken heart. And it feels great.

xxx

The next morning over brunch, Renge is in a fantastic mood, back to her bubbly and chirpy self. Her private plane is scheduled to depart later that night.

"Can't you stay longer?" asks Haruhi. Unfortunately, work waits back in France for Renge. While the lawyer is skeptical about the rush to return, outwardly she nods in understanding.

Tamaki is reaching for the orange juice when his cell phone trills. "Kyoya! How are you?" he exclaims.

Renge tenses, cradling her café au lait. She locks eyes with Haruhi who looks back with concern.

"No, you didn't wake us. We're having croissants for breakfast!" Apparently every day is a celebration to the former Host Club King.

"Uh huh." Pause. He looks at her. "Yes, Renge's in town."

Panicked, she frantically motions she not here. But then Tamaki clearly says, "Oh Renge, he wants to talk to you."

His wife hisses, "Tamaki!"

Renge closes her eyes and seeks inner peace. She puts her hand out for the phone. Takes a deep breath.

"Hello Kyoya."


	3. Chapter 3

The phone conversation is blessedly brief. Yet somehow, Renge finds herself agreeing to plans for afternoon tea with her ex-boyfriend.

"Tamaki, I can't believe you!" scolds his upset wife. "It's so insensitive to put her on the spot like that after all she's been through with him!"

"Haruhi, you know Kyoya! I can't lie to him," he whines. Apologetically, he addresses Renge, "It was like he already knew you were here. I didn't know what to say."

His better half cuts him with a look.

Before Tamaki can retreat into his emo corner, Renge reassures him, "It's ok, really. We were bound to run into each other sooner or later."

He makes puppy eyes at Haruhi who is still giving him daggers. Is he out of the doghouse? The couple turns toward their guest for the verdict.

Renge's eyes flicker between the two, taking a measure of their solemn, expectant faces. She waits a beat, then assumes a mournful look before finally saying, "I suppose there's no better time than the present."

She releases a despondent, world-weary sigh. Tamaki looks terrified.

"If we talk, we can at least clear the air, I guess." She's going to milk this dramatic pause for all it's worth.

"Then we'll play 'Pretty Pretty Princess' and I'll invite myself to the wedding!"

Silence.

Renge quirks a wicked eyebrow at her host's handsome, troubled face until her façade cracks. Giggles evolve into her trademark cackle when Haruhi begins to laugh too. Finally feeling safe, Tamaki lets out a tentative chuckle.

xxx

As she dresses carefully for tea, it occurs to Renge that Kyoya wants to bring closure to their relationship. He wants to marry with a clear conscious, obviously. How typical, how cold-blooded of him. She puts on her emotional armor.

When he arrives in his Tesla a few hours later, she congratulates herself on being unaffected by how attractive Kyoya looks in his white shirt and light linen blazer. The third son to the Ootori Empire seems wiser and confident, wearing success with casual elegance. While her inner fan girl would normally squeal seeing moe personified, she is beyond all that now.

They go to a café nearby. Renge steers the conversation to safe topics. His family, her family, his work, her work. It's out of character, but she is aloof as though dealing with an acquaintance rather than her source of turmoil. Then Kyoya confides his father named him heir to the Ootori Group.

Her resolve wears thin in his presence. "Congratulations! You worked so hard for it," she says sincerely.

He is proud of her as well, impressed with all her recent successes. Renge starts to bask in his praise but restrains herself. She doesn't need his approval.

Inevitably, Kyoya brings up their relationship, starts to apologize.

"Look, there's no need to discuss it anymore. We did all our talking forever ago," she says, coolly detached. "Besides, I've moved on. Let's agree to be friends and leave it the past." Her tone is final.

Kyoya pushes his glasses up his nose while looking at her with an inscrutable expression. Renge, about that…" His thoughts are interrupted when his cell phone rings.

Saved by the bell! He ignores it and hits a button. It rings again. He looks at the screen, irritated. "It's Tamaki."

"What?" he answers brusquely. "Fine." Then he ends the call without saying goodbye. "Tamaki asked me to pick something up at the school on our way back. He says he needs it urgently. I hope you don't mind."

She readily agrees, relieved the thread of this particular conversation will go no further. The sooner this is over, the sooner she can leave, out of Japan, out of his life forever.

xxx

They enter the Ouran Academy grounds. Ironically, what Tamaki needs is stored in Music Room 3. Kyoya, as a school board member, has keys. He pushes open the familiar, ornate double doors and…

It's dark and empty.

Kyoya walks over to the windows and throws open the drapes. The crystals from the large, overhead chandeliers gather the afternoon sun and cast a bright golden hue into the space. That's when Renge notices the room isn't completely vacant. There's a familiar red velvet love seat in the middle of it.

"I'll just be a moment," he says as he moves toward the storage closet.

Perhaps it's a hold over of reminiscing from last night or being with Kyoya in this room once more, but Renge suddenly feels light-headed. Weakly, she sits on the couch to steady herself. She remembers happier times here with all of her friends. A special friend in particular, whom she used to stalk on occasion, is currently rummaging through costumes.

Overwhelmed, she feels the familiar pressure of tears behind her eyelids. _Breathe_, she tells herself. She will not lose her composure. Not when she's come so far. She is stronger than this. She straightens her shoulders.

"Renge! Look what I found." Kyoya emerges with a red scarf in his hands. He loops it around his neck and beams a genuine, rarely seen smile at her.

"I love you. You're all I can think about," he says, adopting a computer-simulated voice. "Let's spend the rest of our lives together, just the two of us."

For a split second, Renge is stricken. Then she bursts out laughing. She recognizes those words and it's certainly better than crying. He looks and sounds exactly like Miyabi-kun, the video game sim she was obsessed with so long ago. She shakes her head, amused at her younger self. How silly she used to be.

Then the two exes make eye contact and together they burst out in another round of raucous laughter. Maybe they CAN be friends. If they can find the humor in this after all they've been through, perhaps everything will be all right.

Suddenly, the ground shakes. Earthquake? No, the sound is familiar, coming from the floor beneath her. A motorized platform raises the sofa a half a meter off the ground. When the motor stops, she looks down at Kyoya in surprise.

"Renge, remember what we started to talk about earlier?"

Her happy mood instantly vanishes. "Please, let's not hash this out. We're fine. I'm fine. Things are good between us now, right?" she says, pained. "We can be friends again."

"Unacceptable, Renge," Kyoya says as he walks toward her. "I can't just be your friend." She frowns at him. She doesn't want to hear this, not at all.

He continues, "I realize I don't deserve your attention, but let me explain my situation to you, so you fully understand." She shakes her head, tries to tune him out.

"I'm miserable. You walking out of my life is the worst thing to ever happen to me."

Huh?

"Wait a second. I don't understand. Your father made you heir. And I know everything, Kyoya. You found someone. You're getting married," she can't help her voice from trembling. "Tamaki told me. Now, you have everything you ever wanted."

"While that is an intriguing scenario, Renge, there's someone I want and I didn't realize it until she was gone."

Kyoya pulls out a small red box from his jacket pocket. "I know I've been a difficult man. You accused me of being indecisive about you, but I've made my decision. You don't realize how much you've changed me."

Her eyes narrow into slits. "Is this some kind twisted joke?"

"No, I'm serious." He stands near the edge of the platform now, directly in front of her.

"Renge, I love you." He drops down on one knee to the floor. "You're all I can think about," he repeats, this time in his own voice. "Let's spend the rest of our lives together, just the two of us." He opens the box and reveals a stunning engagement ring. "Will you marry me?"

She literally hears blood pounding in her ears. Though her eyes are swimming, she can still make out the ring with its large, multiple diamonds catching the light of the setting sun.

All this time! All this freaking time he's let pass! And now, and now…

He's waiting. Expectant. Certain of her answer.

Her heart feels like thunder in her chest. She begins to shake with unrestrained fury. She flings out her arms in front of her face, hands out in a warding, self-protective gesture.

"NO!" she screams loudly as her face begins to crumble.


	4. Chapter 4

Kyoya is controlled, logical person, a man ruthless in his pursuits. The uncompromising atmosphere into which he was born shaped a cunning manipulator bred to win at any cost. Long-term goals are his specialty. The lifetime spent achieving his father's approval is evidence. Haruhi and the twins may have jokingly called him the Shadow King in high school, but their assessment was accurate. He is a puppet master in life, manipulating strings and people to his advantage. Yet there are only a handful of people that surprise him.

Renge.

Intelligent, talented, educated, beautiful, she is his equal in every way that matters to him. All this, and she is deadly sexy in her aggression for life that burns as white-hot as his ambition. Her warmth and enthusiasm are a sharp contrast to the cold and competitive atmosphere in which he was raised. She is the one woman to expose the Shadow King for his true self - a vulnerable young man desperate for affection.

Kyoya had been so sure she'd accept his proposal, he, the formidable master plotter. His Black Onion Squad tailed her in Japan and a few were dispatched to track her in France. He even drew Tamaki into his plans. His intel was impeccable, but he did not factor that absence would not make the heart grow fonder. His strings now stripped, light has been thrown on the shadows to reveal a fool.

"Too late," he whispers. A major miscalculation. In his repertoire of manipulator tricks, matters of the heart are his one weakness. "I am too late."

Stunned by his failure, he momentarily forgets he is still on one knee, the designer jewelry box now clasped closed in his palm. He stands, running a hand through his hair in an unconscious gesture of frustration. Adjusts his glasses, which are suddenly feeling tight on his nose.

Slowly, he becomes aware of Renge moving toward him. She walks to the edge of the platform, her small hand offered out to him.

"Kyoya," she says softly. "Come here."

So unaccustomed to defeat, he can't even look at her. But he takes her hand and climbs up, joining her stance in front of the love seat. From under his lashes he watches as her delicate fingers loosen and pull the red scarf off his shoulders. She is so close he could lean into her embrace, but he no longer has any claim to her affection.

"If we are friends, then we can tell each other anything, right?" The tenor of Renge's voice is firm.

Numbly, he nods in acquiescence. He feels two soft hands on the sides of his face as she tilts his head toward her.

"Kyoya, look at me."

He lifts his eyes and is confronted with her determined stare. He is quite familiar with that look. The last time he saw it, she left him.

Renge takes a step back, away from him. There is no corresponding chess move for him now. He braces himself, ready for the emotional punch he surely deserves.

"Now," Renge says, the word echoing clearly around the cavernous room.

"Ask me again. This time, as you."

At first Kyoya doesn't comprehend what she is saying. She's beaming at him and her whole being vibrates in happy anticipation. When it all finally registers, a surprised chuckle escapes him. The same thrill from closing a huge business deal surges up his spine, but tenfold. He relaxes into a grin that mirrors her joy.

He gathers both of her hands into his, pulling her close. He is never letting her go.

"Renge Houshakuji, will you do me the honor of being my wife?" Kyoya reverently asks.


End file.
